ROME, ITALY

Did you get a chance to explore the city a little and what were your impressions of Rome?

This time I didn’t really have much time to explore. Rome is so rich in culture and history with its beautiful ancient monuments that you really have to devote your time to exploring. Hopefully I will have more time next time I visit since I am very fascinated by this city.

Since you lived and played with the Italian Snaidero team in Udine when you were a teenager, how have your impressions of Italy changed, if they have, now that you are an adult?

I really like Italy. It holds a special place in my heart since I started my professional basketball career there as a young teenager. Although I am not from there, whenever I go back to Italy it feels homey and Italian people always make me feel welcome.

When you were with the Lakers, you became known as the Machine, but once you became a Net, I felt like it gave me insight to your Italian nickname, L’ammazzagrandi or Giant Killer, Was your experience with the Nets this past season reminiscent in any way from the time you played in Italy?

My experience with the Nets this past season was reminiscent of the time I played in Italy because I was given the opportunity to make big plays in important situations. Also, I was given the responsibility to play during the last few minutes of the game, which is what basketball is all about and which shows you that the coaching staff believes in you.

You once mentioned that your mom’s Italian cooking is your favorite food, so we know you love Italian food. What kinds of good things did get to eat in Italy?

Oh.. Don’t get me started.. What kind of food is NOT good in Italy? I think for the time being in Italy, I put my healthy eating habits aside and indulged in the delicious (and addicting) Italian food such as mozzarella di buffalo, pizza, paste, etc. So since I had a bigger appetite, my workouts got tougher. My trainer stayed on top of it and balanced out my nutrition and workouts to make sure that I stayed in shape.

It seems like you were able to meet some of your Italian fans and you speak fluent Italian, how was it meeting them and were you able to see some old friends from when you played in Udine?

It was amazing to meet my Italian fans. I was surprised by how many there are since in Italy, calcio (soccer) is the number one sport. It was great to see that although I now play in the NBA, many of my devoted Italian fans still follow my career and stay updated on how I’m doing and are so knowledgeable about my career. That is really special because it means that they support me no matter where I play.
I saw a couple of my friends, but very briefly.